Sicker than sick
by Sawyerslover
Summary: Something is going on with Pippin. He is acting strange and refuses to tell anyone what going on. Someone follows him into the forest and sees the truth. Please read and review!
1. Sick

Pippin lay on the ground in the cave that the fellowship had decided to stay the night in after walking all day long. Pippin had almost been fine all day, but in the middle of their walk he started to feel really sick and got sharp in his stomach. He walked up to Legolas and Aragorn and lied saying that he had to go to the restroom, but really was emptying almost everything he had eaten this morning. So much had been going on with Frodo; Pippin did not feel that is was important to tell anyone that he had been sick, not even Merry.

"Hey, Pip," Said Frodo walking up to him carrying a bowl of soup that Sam had made for everyone, "Do you want some soup?"

"No, thank you, not hungry," Pippin replied, as cheerfully as he could due to the pain that had started in his stomach again.

"Come on, Pip, you have not had any food today," Frodo claimed.

"Yes I have! This morning," Pippin yelled, unable to keep his anger in.

"Pip, you need to keep your strength up," Frodo said, trying to calm Pippin down.

"I said I was not hungry!" Pippin screamed, making everyone turn and causing Frodo to step back. Frodo was so shocked; Pippin had never acted this way, ever.

Aragorn sighed and got up to walk over to them both. Once next to them he kneeled down and, "Is everything alright?"

"Yes," Pippin muttered.

"What was all of the yelling for?" Aragorn asked.

Pippin opened his mouth to answer, but Frodo got his words out first.

"I was trying to give Pippin some soup, since he has not had anything to eat accept a tiny bit for breakfast," Frodo said quickly.

"I had a lot this morning, I will eat later," Pippin growled, "I am sorry that I yelled at you Frodo."

"It is ok Pip," Frodo said with a slight smile, trying to lighten up the mood.

Aragorn walked back over to everyone leaving the two hobbits alone.

Then pain in Pippin's stomach started to come really hard now. His face twisted up in pain.

Frodo, seeing this quickly asked, " What is wrong Pippin?"

"Oh, nothing, I just need to go to the bathroom,' Pippin replied, quickly standing up holding his stomach and starting out of the cave. He was almost out when-

"Where are you going Pippin," Aragorn asked concerned, noticing that Pippin was painfully grabbing his stomach.

"Oh, just to the bathroom," Pippin replied.

"Well, let someone go with you."

"NO!…I mean….It is just the bathroom; I will be right back," Pippin said quickly and walked out of the cave into the forest.

Aragorn looked over to Gandalf who nodded and Aragorn got up and walked out of the cave.

Pippin got as far as he could, which was not far at all, until he was breathing so hard. Why, he did not know, he had only walked. He leaned against the tree next to him, unaware that anyone was watching him.

Why was he feeling so horrible? Then he doubled over and out came whatever was left in his stomach. He kneeled down on the ground breathing so hard, it felt as if someone was choking him. Then his eyes rolled up into his head and he fell straight to the ground.

Aragorn was sitting with a look of shock on his face as he watched Pippin fall to the ground. He ran quickly up to the pale hobbit and turned him over.

"Pippin? Pippin?" Aragorn yelled tapping Pip's face. Pippin made no response. A still shocked Aragorn gathered the hobbit in his arms and ran to the cave.


	2. Awake

"What happened?" Gandalf asked, watching Aragorn run into the cave with the limp body of Pippin in his arms. He stood up from where he had been sitting with Sam.

"Sam! Get a blanket and lay it down," Aragorn commanded, ignoring Gandalf question. Right away Sam got his own blanket and lay it down near where Aragorn was standing.

"Thank you Sam, go get some water," Aragorn said and then while both him and Gandalf kneeled down near Pippin's body, he answered Gandalf's question," I followed him…He started convulsing and throwing up...and…and choking…as if someone was holding his throat, choking him and then he just fell to the ground."

Frodo was sitting alone, thinking, when he saw Aragorn come into the cave carrying someone and start commanding Sam. Could it be Merry?, but he had not come back form looking for firewood with Legolas, he had not thought about it but they had been gone a very long time. He got up and walked over to see what Gandalf and Aragorn were so concerned over. Next to the kneeled figures, Frodo saw a very unexpected sight.

"What happened to him?" Frodo asked and Gandalf turned to explain everything Aragorn had told him.

"I knew he was not acting the same, but I was not sure if I should suspect something or not," Frodo said.

"Yes, I kno-," but a moan and mumbling made all three of them look down.

"Pippin, dear heart, do you wake?" Frodo asked.

"Fro..do?" Pippin asked, cracking his eyes open.

"Yes, it is I," Frodo answered, relieved to see Pippin's eyes were wide open.

"Pippin, have you felt bad all day?" Aragorn asked.

Pippin did not answer right away, but then a small, "Yes," came with a wheezy cough.

Right away Frodo handed Pippin the water that Sam had left there and then went to keep watch due to a sleeping Boromir and Gimli.

Pippin gratefully accepted the water and then laid his head back down to stare at the ceiling.

"Why did you not tell anyone?" Aragorn asked firmly.

"I did not think it was important," Pippin admitted, and he was not lying. Pippin felt that with all the stuff going on with Frodo and the ring, being sick would be the least of everyone's problems.

"Not important?! Pippin-!" Aragorn started to yell, but Frodo gave him a don't-go-there look. Aragorn sighed and lowered his voice, "Pippin, you are very important. If something is going on with you, you need to tell us, understood?"

Pippin nodded in understanding, as his eyes started to drop drowsily.

"Well, it is getting dark and we all need sleep," Aragorn said standing up with Gandalf, "Do not hesitate to wake me and when you are awake again, I will prepare some herbal to help you feel better."

"And I will stay and sleep with Pippin, if, that is ok with Aragorn," Frodo asked, looking up at Aragorn questioningly.

Aragorn nodded in approval and walked off with Gandalf, to sleep.

Frodo lay down on his side and wrapped his arm around Pippin's front and they both fell asleep.

* * *

All had been quiet for 2 hours until a wiggling Pippin made Frodo sit straight up.

"Are you awake again Pip? How are you feeling?" Frodo asked rubbing his sleepy eyes, but when he did not receive an answer, he opened his eyes and looked down to see, a wide-eyed Pippin struggling for breath.

"Pippin, it's ok, just breathe," Frodo said calmly, rubbing Pip's arm, but then Pippin started to convulse and the breath was barely coming.

Frodo hated leaving Pippin, but he knew what he had to do.

Frodo sprang up from the ground and ran straight to two sleeping figures.

"Aragorn!" Frodo screamed, "Aragorn!"

Frodo got right next to him and kneeled down to shake him awake.

"Aragorn, please!" Frodo begged.

Then Aragorn sat straight up, wide-eyed, "What? What is it?"

"It's Pippin!! He can't breathe!!"

* * *

"So how long do you plan we stay out here," Merry asked, looking around worriedly. Legolas and him had been walking around for an hour looking for firewood. Merry was getting tired of walking, but Legolas was looking around the darkness, admiring all the trees.

"Do not worry, Merry," Legolas said," I am sure everything at camp is fine, and so are we."

"Yeah, but, what are we doing? Looking for the right tree?" Merry complained

"Yes, Merry, that is what we are doing," Legolas joked.

"It's so quiet out here," Merry whispered," I li-."

SNAP!

Merry pulled out his sword and Legolas, his bow, right after the sound of the snapping twig.

Then something sounded like it was rushing through the tree, BONK! Legolas suddenly fell to the ground.

"Legolas!," Merry screamed, bending down next to an unconscious Legolas, and picking up the rock that had caused blood to rush from the back of Legolas's head.

Another SNAP made Merry stand dropping the rock and gripping his sword hard.

"Who…Who's there?" Merry whispered nervously. WHOP!

Merry's hand flew to the back of his head, due to the sharp pain he knew another rock had caused.

Merry fell to the ground and the last thing he saw was Legolas being tied up and then all went black.


	3. On egde

Aragorn and Frodo reached a gasping Pippin and they both kneeled down next to him. Aragorn sat Pippin up and lift him into his lap.

"Pippin, Pippin, I want you to listen to me ok? Are you listening?" Aragorn asked, slowly stroking Pippin's bright red, sweaty face.

Pippin took a shaky breath and shook his head, but the small breath took everything from him and he leaned his head against Aragorn's chest choking and sobbing.

"Pippin, it's going to be ok," Aragorn calmly said," You need to calm down."

Pippin did not relax, but only started to choke more.

Gandalf heard all the commotion and came over to kneel next to the three distressed companions. Gandalf watched Aragorn try to calm Pippin, but only failed. Gandalf put his arms out and Aragorn reluctantly handed Pippin over.

Pippin huddled against him. Then Gandalf grabbed one of Pippin's shaking hands and said, "Pippin, my dear, its ok, calm down. I know that it hurts, but you need to take deep breaths."

Pippin took a slow breath, but only ended in more choking and gasping.

"Try again, sweetie," Frodo said stroking Pippin's arm.

Gimli, Sam, and Boromir had awakened, but stayed where they were feeling as if they would just be no help to interfere.

Pippin took another breath and let it out slowly.

"Good, Good!" Aragorn smiled," Do it again, Pip."

Pippin took another breath and tears started to leak from his wide green eyes.

Pippin repeated the slow breathing a few times and then immediately went limp in Gandalf's arms.

"Pippin!" Frodo yelled, then looked to Aragorn," Why has he fainted?"

"I do not know, Frodo," Aragorn replied, then to Gandalf," Try to see if he will wake."

Gandalf tried to shake Pippin awake and yelled," Pippin! Peregrin Took!"

Then Pippin's eyes popped open, but instead of green eyes, pure white was looking back at all of them.

Frodo gasped and Aragorn and Gandalf frowned.

Pippin's eyes closed and then opened again, but this time they were green.

"Aragorn? Gandalf?" Pippin said, twisted with confusion, "What is going on?"

Gandalf breathed out and pulled Pippin close and cradled him, "It's ok, my dear Took. Just got to sleep."

Then Gandalf felt Pippin go limp again and pulled away to Pippin asleep. Gandalf laid Pippin on top of a blanket and Frodo laid a blanket over him.

Aragorn and Gandalf stood up and started to walk away until, Frodo stood up and grabbed Aragorn's arm.

"Why does Pippin not remember what happened?" Frodo asked.

"I do not know, Frodo," Aragorn replied.

"But…you have too! He may get worse and we can't just go around acting like if we do not do anything he will get better!" Frodo yelled, getting furious, then he lowered his voice due to a shocked Aragorn," Please, help him. If you do not he…something bad might happen…when Pippin gets sick…it's…bad…he gets sicker than sick. Please, I know from experience."

Aragorn kneeled in front of Frodo, and said, "Frodo, I promise you that if Pippin is "sicker than sick", I will do anything to get him better and soon he will be running around going wild."

Frodo gave a small smile.

Then Gandalf interrupted, "Not to add to our problems, but if any have noticed, Merry and Legolas have been gone since yesterday."

"I have, but I am sure that they are fine. If they do not return in a few hours we will send out a few of us to search for them," Aragorn replied.

"Merry is going to kill us if anything hap-," but due to an empty blanket a few away-made Frodo look to Gandalf and Aragorn and scream, "Pippins gone!!"

Gandalf and Aragorn looked around the cave and then ran out of the cave, into the cold night air, with Frodo following.

A scene certainly not expected made all of them stop in their tracks.

Pippin was standing on one of the cliffs, on the edge, eyes closed.

* * *

Legolas moaned at the pain in his head. He tried to reach a hand up to touch it, but, eyes still closed, he realized that his hands were bound.

"Merry?" He whispered, squinting his eyes open and then he saw Merry lying, bound, on the ground, shirt off, shivering, next to him, eyes wide open.

"Merry, dear heart, are you alright?" Legolas asked, eyes now fully open.

Merry looked up straight into Legolas's eyes, as if just noticing that he was there, but did not say anything.

"Merry, can you hear me?" Legolas asked, concern growing each time Merry whimpered.

Again, Merry said nothing.

Then to Legolas's horror he noticed whip marks all over Merry's body.

"Oh, Merry…"

"Merry? Merry, listen to me," Legolas said, looking at a beaten Merry, whimpering on the ground.

Merry did not answer, but only looked down and tears started to leak from his eyes.

"Merry, can you hear me? What did they do to you?" Legolas asked, but again, Merry did not answer, "Merry, you have to tell me."

This time Merry looked up and said, "I…can't…they…they said…they would kill me if I told you."

"I would not let them do that. Tell me Merry," Legolas replied.

Merry just pulled his bound legs close to him and cried.

Legolas shifted his body over to be closer to Merry, "It's going to be ok," Legolas comforted, his face next to Merry's, "I will take care of you."


	4. Echoes

"Pippin!" Frodo screamed starting to run toward to his near death cousin, but when he did Aragorn grabbed his arm and said, "No, wait. Do not yell, you might scare him and cause him to fall."

Pippin eyes popped open at the scream of his name. He felt so dizzy and put a hand to his head as he swayed back and forth, **where am I?** "Frodo?" Pippin asked, looking around trying to spot anything in the pitch-black earth, not knowing that a steep fall was the only thing before him.

"I am here, Pip. Do not look down," Frodo commanded, "Turn around and come to my voice."

"Where are you, Frodo?" Pippin begged," "I can't see you!"

"I am right here!" Frodo yelled, looking to Aragorn and Gandalf, who looked ready to run to run if Pippin should stumble.

Pippin heard Frodo yelling in front of him, it had sounded like an echo, but Pippin felt that it was just his ears. He took a step slowly, forward.

"No! Turn around," Frodo commanded.

Pippin picked up his foot a foot off the ground, still feeling weak, towards his older cousin, but as the poor hobbit picked up his low-leveled foot, it slid under a low-raised tree stump and he fell straightforward.

"Pippin, no!!" Frodo screamed as wisp of air hit his face as Gandalf and Aragorn ran straight passed him, yelling. Frodo followed focusing on only the edge of the cliff.

All three of them reached the edge, but only black was seen and Pippin's screams faded in through the echoes of the mountains.

* * *

"Legolas?"

"I am hear, Merry," Legolas replied, looking into Merry's eyes, smiling, happy that Merry was at least talking.

"I don't want-"

"Shut up, runt," an orc yelled, while kicking merry in the side, making Merry hiss and grunt in pain, "Why didn't you guys separate them?"

Then one of the orcs walked up and bent down to gather merry in his arms, while whispering, "Want to go have some more fun?" into Merry's ear.

"No," Merry cried, "Please…Please…Just leave me alone."

"Stop it! He doesn't deserve any of this!' Legolas yelled, frustrated.

"What's it to you, elf?" The orc snarled.

"I care for him, as in taking care of him, but you would know nothing of caring for someone, would you?" Legolas replied.

The orc growled and prepared to answer back, but another orc ran up and whispered to the orc, "Something has fallen from the mountains above, the rest are checking it out now."

The orc nodded and then looked to a few orcs sitting by a near fire and said, "Stay here and watch them," pointing at Legolas and Merry.

Then he set Merry back down while whispering, "I'll take care of you later," making Merry whimper. And then the two orcs walked off.

"Are you alright, Merry?" Legolas whispered moving closer to Merry.

Merry just sat there and would not look into Legolas's eyes.

"Merry," Legolas firmly said, "Talk to me."

Then after a few seconds Merry look straight at him and replied, "No…I am not alright."

"It's going to be ok, Merry," Legolas confirmed.

"Do you think that the others are looking for us?" Merry asked.

"Yes, Merry, I do. And I also think that they will not stop looking until they find us," Legolas replied.

"I don't. They would of found us already if they were looking," Merry sadly said.

Legolas said nothing, knowing that false hope would not help the poor hobbit.

"I'm tired," Merry said, laying down, trying to get comfortable as best as he could.

"Go to sleep, Merry. I will be here, don't worry," Legolas replied, hoping that when the hobbit was fully asleep he could check his injuries as best he could, being bound.

* * *

Legolas sat there for about twenty minuets not wanting to disturb a peacefully sleeping Merry, by checking his injuries.

After a while Legolas heard the orcs coming back. I wonder what it was, he thought to himself.

Then he saw the whole group of orcs coming up but the front one was dragging something or someone.

What is that he asked himself and sat up more so he could get a glimpse.

Finally the orcs got close enough and Legolas saw what it was that they were dragging so violently.

"Pippin? Oh no."


	5. A Presence So Near

"Pippin!" Frodo cried as he sank to the ground.

Aragorn stood on the edge of the cliff, would not look anywhere except down, where Pippin had taken his death fall. Tears of shock and pain started to run down his face.

Gandalf, not knowing how to react, dropped to his knees beside a hysteric Frodo and put his arm around him, "My dear hobbit," Gandalf comforted, "There was nothing we could of done."

Frodo looked up to reveal a bright red, tearstained face, "But…Pippin…he," Frodo cried, "He can't be gone."

They all sat silent in a moment of sorrow, but Frodo would have none of it.

"Aragorn-" Frodo started, standing up quickly making Aragorn wipe away his tears and turn to face him, "We have absolutely no idea how steep the drop form the mountains is, right?"

Aragorn nodded his head in answer.

"So Pippin might still be alive," Frodo said hopefully.

"Yes Frodo, but he chances are slim," Aragorn answered.

"But there is some chance," Frodo said, "I would rather not think my cousin dead, until I know it for a fact."

Aragorn thought over what the young hobbit had said and then walked up to Frodo kneeling down to match his height.

"Frodo, I do not know if your dear cousin is alive, but I will do anything in my power to find him."

* * *

The orcs threw Pippin on the ground next to Legolas. 

"Just another thing to feast on, boys," one of the orcs said and then all of them walked away to sit by a further away fire.

"Pippin, Pippin, wake up," Legolas whispered, looking over the beaten hobbit. His face was as pale as a white sheet, arm appeared to be popped out of place, blood was running down his face due to a gash on his forehead, and bruises were covering his poor body.

_How did this happen?_ He thought to himself.

_Pippin?_ He mentally questioned.

He received no reply, but only screams of terror were heard in Pippin's mind. _Pippin, calm down, it is only me, Legolas, can you hear me?_

But again he received no reply, but this time Legolas could feel something, that would not go away. Legolas waited and then the presence got stronger.

_No! What terror has been brought upon this hobbit to cause this_, he asked himself.

Legolas, doing the only thing that he could, scooted closer to the hobbit as if being able to fight off the presence that was so near. Death.

* * *

"Gimli. Boromir. Wake up," Aragorn yelled, dashing into the cave and gathering supplies, making both the dwarf and human sit straight up, "Legolas and Merry have been gone for a couple of days. I do not know what has come upon them. But you must leave quickly to look for them." 

"Where is Pippin?" Gimli questioned looking around the cave.

"That is my own search that I must go on," Aragorn answered, "You have two full days, but then we must meet here whether or not we have found our friends or not. We should have already been off these mountains.

And with that said Aragorn started out of the cave, but not everyone was satisfied.

"You wish Gandalf and I not to join you?" Frodo questioned, running up to Aragorn.

"Frodo, the task will be done faster with only me," Aragorn answered.

"But he is my cousin, and I wish to go with you, please," Frodo begged.

"Alright fine, but we must move quickly. Are you accompanying us as well?" Aragorn asked, turning to Gandalf. All he received was a nod from the wizard.

Boromir and Gimli left first and then the rest of the group set out.

* * *

Aragorn, Gandalf, and Frodo had been walking for a while. No one had said barely anything. Aragorn was busy leading them down what he thought was the right path. Frodo was only paying attention to the awkward silence between himself and Gandalf. 

"What is wrong, Gandalf? You seem very quiet," Frodo said watching the wizard eye Aragorn's every move in front of them.

Gandalf sighed, waited a moment, and then replied, "I have much love for hobbits, Frodo, but for one that I have not or wanted to grow close to, I never knew how I would feel after witnessing his death right before my eyes."

Frodo was speechless and did not know how to answer, but then, "Pippin has to be alive. I know he is. That is why I am not grieving so."

"I have faith in what you say, dear hobbit, but I do not want your hopes up, to only have them fall when we find your dear cousin."

"We are now close to the bottom of the cliff, from which Pippin fell. We will be there soon," Aragorn blurted out, looking back on them.

Frodo was not paying attention to anything, but what Gandalf had just said to him. _Does Gandalf truly think that Pippin is…dead?_ He thought to himself, _No, it can't be true._ _Can it?_


	6. Found and Lost

Hello my fellow readers! I am so sorry that I have not updated this story since Christmas! I hope you like this chapter and I promise NOT to make you wait 7 months again for the next one: D

Aragorn, Gandalf, and Frodo finally reached the bottom of the mountain and, "We must rest. Let's make camp," left Aragorn's mouth.

"But Aragorn-" Frodo started.

"We will continue our search tomorrow," Aragorn said and walked away obviously to search for firewood.

Frodo walked over to Gandalf and sat down next to him on a rock complained, "We have to go now, we have to find pippin. If Aragorn does not care then I will continue alone."

"Does not care? Aragorn cares about all of you little hobbits, he would sacrifice himself for any of you. We must rest, Frodo."

"And what? Leave Pippin to suffer and die a slow death!

"Frodo!"

"Forgive me, I have gotten to caught up in my thoughts."

Shhhh!

Gandalf and Frodo turned to see Aragorn, whom they had not known was even there, crouching behind a swarm of bushes.

They both got up and crouched beside him.

"What is it?" Frodo asked.

SHH! Aragorn whispered and pointed through a small opening of bushes.

Frodo crouched down a little to get a better look. He saw a fire with sleeping orcs around it and closest the opening was Merry!

"MER-rry!" Frodo half shouted but was stopped Aragorn's large hand placed over his mouth.

"What is he doing there? Is he with Legolas? What should we do?" the wizard mumbled with all the questions toppling over each other.

"We cannot wake the orcs," Aragorn whispered and put his hand up to scratch his beard as if thinking of a plan. A moment later Aragorn had thought something, "Frodo you must crawl through the bushes as quietly as you can, wake Merry and both of you come back through the bushes and Gandalf and I will attack once you are both to safety."

Frodo was so confused he didn't know what to say other than," What if the orcs wake and I get caught?"

That wont happen just be really quiet," Aragorn stated and pulled back a large twig to reveal the opening encouraging Frodo to go through.

* * *

The other group of three, Gimli, Boromir, and Sam were walking peacefully through the woods. 

"So are we looking for Legolas and Merry or Pippin?" the dwarf asked.

Boromir rolled his eyes and replied, "The first one," and the quietly added on, "Stupid dwarf."

Harrumph, was Gimli's fist reply an then, "I am only trying to lighten up the mood. Dwarfs are far from stupid. I tell you what is stupid, that elf! I've never met a more gracefully stupid, obnoxious elf, well, I've never met an elf but if I would of before this one, they would have for sure given me a better impression."

Sam chuckled at the humans and dwarfs bickering on elves.

"Hey, Sam? May I ask you a question?" Boromir asked.

"Yes o'course mister Boromir, sir."

Boromir smiled at the politeness of Sam and stated, "This is the very first time I have seen you away from Frodo and you seemed to not have a problem with him leaving your site; have you lost…interest in protecting…or something?"

"No sir tis' nothing like that. I trust those folk, ol' Gandalf and Aragorn."

'You do? Even with Frodo?

"Should I not, sir?"

"o..f…of ..course you should, just asking," Boromir smiled and walked further ahead.

Gimli walked up beside Sam and stated, "Weird human. Anyway, so what do you say? Lets go save Merry and that retched elf!"

* * *

Frodo whispered a slight gasp as one of the bushes stickers nicked him on his foot. He was almost through the opening. _I don't think I can do this, if I wake one of the orcs than I am dead and so is everyone else _Frodo pulled himself from his thoughts as he was nicked again from a sticker but this time on the arm. 

He got closer an closer to the back of Merry's head and then before he knew it he was out and took a moment to not calm his furiousness at the whip marks and bruises over Merry's top half of his body. Frodo did his best and began shaking Merry gently to wake him.

"Merry," Frodo whispered, so quietly it could only be heard by elf ears, "Merry, wake up."

Shaking him did not work, so he started to tap Merry's bruised face, which got a reaction.

Merry groaned and shifted slightly and Frodo smiled with joy, "Shhh, Merry-dear you must be quiet."

Merry groggily opened his eyes and looked to Frodo and asked, "Where is Legolas?"

Frodo looked around and saw no sign of Legolas. He turned back to Merry and started to reply but and orc snored and shifted in his sleep which made Frodo's eyes go wide and his hand fly to Merry's mouth that asked for Legolas again.

The orc sighed and then grew quiet.

"Merry?" Frodo whispered but saw that the hobbits eyes had closed and was not going to wake. "Aragorn!" Frodo whisper-yelled.

Aragorn's head pop into the opening of the bushes, "What is it, Frodo?"

"Merry...He will not wake," Frodo whispered desperately.

"Drag him."

Frodo turned to Merry and considered this and realized that it was the only thing he could do. Frodo grabbed merry by his collar and started into the tunnel of bushes. Merry was not that heavy but his clothes kept getting got on the thorns, which made it very difficult for Frodo.

Suddenly, in the middle of one of Frodo's slight pauses he heard some shuffling and thought it to Aragorn or Gandalf. Instead, a orc latched onto one of Merry's legs which obviously must have been hurt because Merry woke and let out a blood curdling scream.

* * *

"What was THAT?" Boromir exclaimed. 

"Merry!" Sam yelled, recognizing the scream.

"Come on let's go!" Boromir yelled and started to run with Sam alongside him and the dwarf left behind.

* * *

"ARAGORN!" Frodo screamed. 

Merry's scream had woken all the orcs causing the wizard and human to grab their weapons and run to the small war.

Merry eyes were wide and he kicked and screamed until the orc let go in defeat. Frodo latched his arm onto Merry's and dragged him the rest of the way out of the bushes.

Frodo cradled Merry in his arms who was struggling and fighting to get away.

"Merry, it's me, Frodo, calm down!" Frodo yelled loudly to make sure that Merry had heard him. It worked because Merry immediately stopped and stared into the Frodo's eyes.

"Frodo? Help me…" Merry cried and started to sob.

Frodo pulled Merry close to him and cradled the beaten hobbit until he fell asleep.

* * *

A scream woke Legolas and made him gasp, "Merry?!" and opened his eyes excepting Merry to be sleeping peacefully next to him, but only Pippin was found, sleeping next to him instead. 

One of the orcs kicked the other two, "Fug, Fern wake up," he said, "A fight has broke out over there," and pointed towards the camp that was lit with a fire, "We should leave and take these two with us."

"Them? What about the scrawny one? We don't need em'," Fern said looking down at Pippin, who had woken and was looking fearfully at the orcs above him.

"What should we do with him then?"

Fern smiled at Pippin and then looked at to the two orcs and replied, "Let's take em' to the river."

Legolas saw Pippin being dragged horribly through a pathway and felt an orc pick him up and take him down the same path.

Legolas was thrown on the ground he looked up to see an orc holding Pippin near a river.

Legolas cried out as he was forced to stand on his knees and a small dagger was put to his throat.

The orc holding Pippin smiled at Legolas and said, "Say bye to your little friend."

"No! What are you doing!!!?" Legolas screamed, but he knew exactly what they were doing.

"Shut up elf or you'll be joinin' the dead too," said the orc holding the dagger.

Then he saw Pippin being shoved into the water face down. Pippin struggled and Legolas fought back the urge to cry out.

Pippin's struggling went on for about 30 seconds. Tears fell from Legolas's face as the struggling stopped. Then all was quiet and the birds of the early morning were singing and the stream slowed to a quiet hum.

Pippin was dead.


	7. Author's note

WOW!!! i cannot believe it has been two years since updating this. I am sincerely sorry to all my readers :( but i re-read my story and i cannot believe all the wierd things i wrote plus i did not do a disclaimer which i also apoligize for. I have been writing a book and i believe that i have gained writing skills in the past two years. I was either planning to update from where i let off or take it down and post a BETTER version of Sicker than Sick. What should i do????? :)


	8. A Little Hope

The word no was a Legolas could think when he saw that poor little Pippin was dead. I cannot be, he thought., what will I tell Merry? His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the sound of Pippin's body being picked up out of the cold water and thrown onto the ground. He wanted to run to him and restore him to life, but a dagger was still being held against his neck.

"What should we do with this one?" Fern said, pushing the dagger a little closer to his neck. Legolas felt a drop of blood run down his neck, but ignored it and kept his eyes on Pippin. The pain of the loss he was feeling would always be worse than any wound. The hobbit's face was pure white and wet. For a moment Legolas thought he saw Pippin move. He's dead, Legolas thought grimly and shifted his eyes upwards to look and the horrible orc.

Rumbling coming from the east cause Legolas to turn his head quickly only to result in another nick on his neck. The rumble became louder and suddenly a whole lot of orcs came into view. All of them running towards him.

"Go! Go! Someone' attacking camp! Get out of here!" One orc yelled.

Then Legolas was pushed to the ground and the orcs that killed Pippin ran off. Legolas covered his head to keep from being harmed from the running orcs.

When most were gone Legolas looked up to the dead form of Pippin.

"Pippin?" he called, grimly, knowing he would not get an answer back.

He pulled him self over to the hobbit and pulled him up into his arms, off the ground.

Legolas closed his eyes. He could not stare at the face of a hobbit that a just some time ago had been smiling ear to ear while talking with his cousins.

"Legolas?"

Legolas jumped, opened his eyes and almost dropped the dead hobbit, who amazingly was staring right up at him.

"Pippin!" He almost screamed, "I thought you were dead! They drowned you!"

Pippin smiled tiredly, "When they were holding me under I held my breath and stopped moving to make them think I was dead!"

Legolas laughed out of pure joy and hugged the hobbit close to him.

* * *

(Authors note: I know this is really short but I thought I should give my loyal readers a little something after making you guyss wait so long. Next chapter will be up soon and definitely longer!)


	9. New Chapter

Hello! :D My faithful readers, I am currently working on a long, suspenseful new chapter for Sicker than Sick! Which will be up sometime this week! Thank you for sticking with me through this long wait! Love you guys!


End file.
